I don't think they ever had any interest in stopping the entire pipeline, just the portion that was an environmental threat. Allowing the rest of the pipeline to go through may look good politically, but it is not in any way a change of policy.
The future of the Republican Party.
- Thread starter Yevetha
- Start date
I don't think they ever had any interest in stopping the entire pipeline, just the portion that was an environmental threat. Allowing the rest of the pipeline to go through may look good politically, but it is not in any way a change of policy.
The Republican Party has no future.
Between the teabaggers, Paul and his supporters. Not a chance.
Oh, yeah.
I am still here because of President Obama and the Democrats.
Stop voting for the Republicans.
Obama 2012
Between the teabaggers, Paul and his supporters. Not a chance.
Oh, yeah.
I am still here because of President Obama and the Democrats.
Stop voting for the Republicans.
Obama 2012
Of course, if the entire pipeline gets built, the oil is just going to flow down to Texas and sold to the Chinese anyway. And our prices will stay the same or higher. At the cost of potential environmental disaster.
They'll definitely go higher in the midwest if/when more pipeline is built. The current lack of pipeline there creates a larger oil inventory in the region, resulting in a lower inventory price (something the Canadians have never been too happy with, IIRC).
On this much, at least, we agree.
Knight Templar
Commodore
I am still here because of President Obama and the Democrats.
How do you figure that?
and I'll never vote for the Democratic Party as it exists now.
The current Tea Party Republicans are hardly a happy and acceptable option, though. I used to be an open and professed Republican until fairly recently, and I just kept watching my party drift further and further to the hard right to appease the Christian/cultural right, the most fanatical members of the Tea Party and those brainless, paranoid Birther fools. The Democrats have a plethora of problems as well and the hard left makes me gag and toss my lunch, but the GOP has allowed itself to become a shadow of what it once was by pandering to extreme elements who have enormous sway with the conservative voting base. Being conservative used to have quite a bit of intellectual and moral heft behind it, but right wingers in 2012 are all about God, Guns, Gays and Geneaology(birth certificates) and I'm not going to be part of a party that has willingly allowed itself to be taken over by its nuttier fringe elements for the sake of winning elections.
Intellectual and moral heft? There were no golden days of conservatism, it has always been a misnomer for a reactionary political agenda. The people who wanna actually conserve something today, be it family, industry, the biosphere or a moderate welfare state can only be found on the left.
It's not like old-school conservatives like Buckley who might have been more literate than contemporary folks were any less reactionary.
I think though that there is one general difference between the political landscape today and before the 1980s. Everything today is identity politics (especially on the left!) or corporatized pseudo-democracy whereas politicians of any colour did actually care about what you could call the general good or the public will in the past. Of course there had been corruption but it hasn't been as systemic and all-encompassing as today.
It's not like old-school conservatives like Buckley who might have been more literate than contemporary folks were any less reactionary.
I think though that there is one general difference between the political landscape today and before the 1980s. Everything today is identity politics (especially on the left!) or corporatized pseudo-democracy whereas politicians of any colour did actually care about what you could call the general good or the public will in the past. Of course there had been corruption but it hasn't been as systemic and all-encompassing as today.
Yevetha
Commodore
The Republican Party has no future.
Between the teabaggers, Paul and his supporters. Not a chance.
Oh, yeah.
I am still here because of President Obama and the Democrats.
Stop voting for the Republicans.
Obama 2012
You do realise that the dem base was so tired of their own scum they had 2010 to the repubs and the largest growing segment of voters are independents..
The Republican Control of Congress will be done for; after nakedly having their #1 goal be to make sure Obama's not re-elected.
The Extreme Right will never be able to put forward an electable candidate because they won't be able to appeal to moderates. The further religious/right the Republicans go, the more they'll shoot themselves in the foot.
If the Republicans are serious about winning the White House and not just sticking it to Obama; they'll support a moderate who can explain to Purple America why said moderate could do a better job of running the country than Obama and/or whoever his successors are in the future. Galvanizing the far right and no one else won't do that.
The Republicans have to move toward to the center.
The Extreme Right will never be able to put forward an electable candidate because they won't be able to appeal to moderates. The further religious/right the Republicans go, the more they'll shoot themselves in the foot.
If the Republicans are serious about winning the White House and not just sticking it to Obama; they'll support a moderate who can explain to Purple America why said moderate could do a better job of running the country than Obama and/or whoever his successors are in the future. Galvanizing the far right and no one else won't do that.
The Republicans have to move toward to the center.
The old adage that elections are won in the middle might be true in normal times. But these are dire times in which extremist voices are often successful. When the centre-left abandons the working class they will vote for charlatans.
On this side of the big pond there is a rise of right-wing populism and even fascism in some European countries. The thirties repeat themselves at least to some degree.
On this side of the big pond there is a rise of right-wing populism and even fascism in some European countries. The thirties repeat themselves at least to some degree.
I know that; but was it always the top priority?
Well, yes. I want Romney vs Obama; and this is what it looks like I'm going to get. I'm speaking generally.
War, taxation, the environment, and their stances on reproduction.
The Republican Party has no future.
Between the teabaggers, Paul and his supporters. Not a chance.
Oh, yeah.
I am still here because of President Obama and the Democrats.
Stop voting for the Republicans.
Obama 2012
You do realise that the dem base was so tired of their own scum they had 2010 to the repubs and the largest growing segment of voters are independents..
Just a couple of years after independents did the same to the Democrats. Don't try to make it like that's some long-term trend.
Yevetha
Commodore
Owrite instead of independents which one is the largest growing segment of voters?
i think its a trend.
Qoutes be Garth:
Give me Trump, Ron Paul or Gary Johnson over him anytime.
i think its a trend.
Qoutes be Garth:
There is some movement in two fronts, Giuliani is pro abortion and Ron Paul is antiwar.
These tow flip-floppers would produce th3e most boring debate ever.
Give me Trump, Ron Paul or Gary Johnson over him anytime.
Republicans 1990s: Individual Mandate GOOD!
Republicans 2012: Individual Mandate BAD!
Actually, Paul Ryan's plan included a tax credit for purchasing health insurance, which is effectively identical to the individual mandate. If anything it would imply a larger "penalty" for not having it. So the Republicans have supported the concept far more recently as well....
They are not identical though. With tax credits, if you do something, you some money back when tax season comes around. Think of it as a carrot dangling on a stick. The individual mandate is purchase this or else!
Would you want someone telling you "Hey Lindley, if you do this I'll give you this"? ...or "Do this or I punch you in the gut"!
